I've found sports equipment to be a very personal choice for 99% of athletes.....tennis players and golfers especially. When my kids were playing in high school baseball they were very particular about their mitts and cleats. Of course with three sons, they all wanted different mitt brands (Akadema, Mizuno, Wilson) so hand-me-down gloves weren't possible.... Is there a way you can ask his best friend to surreptitiously find out for you which mitt he prefers?
PS...A funny thing happened in college with my oldest when they had to buy/provide their own mitts. Everything else (including winter parkas) was covered by the D1 except mitts...apparently there was no glove contract only clothing and bats were provided. My son would pick one or two of the (free) used mitts donated by the senior class that was kept in the equipment room. So, apparently brand and personal choice does have a price tag and it is about $200 for a college student who would rather use that $200 toward something else. Amazing how resourceful and miserly they become with money when it is theirs to manage! 